Video Vault: 'Godzilla

“Godzilla” might seem like a strange film to recommend just before Halloween. Sure, it’s a monster movie, but it’s not exactly scary, is it?

The goofy sequels where he fights other rubber-suited monsters? No. The original? That’s another story.

“Godzilla” — or “Gojira,” as it was called in its native land — is a dark, eerie movie about an awful force laying waste to Japan. It was released in 1954, less than a decade after Japan was hit by two atomic bombs, and those unsettled fears are woven through the film.

With its black-and-white look and ominous mood, “Gojira” is a rubber-monster movie with a difference. It’s serious, somber and, believe it or not, it’s even a little scary.
The excellent 2004 DVD includes the Japanese and U.S. versions, so you can see the differences. (For one thing, the U.S. version co-stars Raymond Burr.) They’re both good, but if you want to experience Godzilla — excuse me, Gojira — in all his native glory, stick with the original.

Will Pfeifer writes about new DVDs on Tuesdays and older ones on Sundays. Contact him at 815-987-1244 or wpfeifer@rrstar.com